EMV SUMMER FESTIVAL 2023 - CASE STUDY
Project Overview:
Created a bold and modern visual identity for Early Music Vancouver’s Summer Festival, celebrating women in classical music while attracting a wider, younger audience.
The Challenge:
Early Music Vancouver wanted to highlight the role of women in classical music while keeping their core audience engaged and drawing in a new demographic. Their goal was to refresh their visual identity with something modern, inclusive, and impactful without losing the organization’s classical roots.
Mood Board:
Our Approach:
To fuse tradition with modern empowerment, we drew inspiration from EMV’s festival theme of recognizing women in classical music.
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Concept Development: A local Vancouver artist created a custom, hand-painted black-and-white portrait of poet and author Christine de Pizan, commissioned specifically for EMV and generously donated to the festival. We incorporated this artwork into the campaign by combining the classical hand-painted head with modern digital elements: a bold, feminist statement t-shirt and vibrant colors applied through Photoshop. This juxtaposition brought the historical figure into the 21st century in a way that was fresh, fun, and empowering.
The Solution:
The final identity merged the elegance of classical music with the boldness of modern design. Variations of the visuals kept the campaign fresh while maintaining a strong, consistent brand presence across all mediums.
The Results:
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22% increase in festival attendance compared to the previous year
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40% boost in digital engagement year-over-year
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Several concerts sold out during the festival
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Successfully engaged loyal audiences while attracting a younger demographic
Takeaway:
This project proved the power of design in connecting heritage with modern audiences. By re-imagining classical figures through bold, contemporary visuals, the campaign not only honored history but also elevated attendance and digital engagement to record highs.
Original Painting
Concept Exploration:
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Applications: These designs were applied to digital ads, website banners, brochures, bus stand ads, print ads, pop-up banners, program covers, and even keepsake foldable fans for concert-goers. Variations kept the overall branding consistent while introducing variety and excitement across different mediums.
Final Design:
Process / How It Came Together
The hand-painted black-and-white portrait of Christine de Pizan was modernized with bright, bold colors. Flowing, abstract shapes represent music, adding energy and continuity across festival materials, while detailed florals in the background highlight the feminine theme.
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Visual Language: The creative direction extended across the entire festival while keeping each concert unique. Each concert design was inspired by its theme and incorporated playful, thematic elements, for example a crown motif for the “Queen of Carthage” concert, while flowing seamlessly within the overall festival identity. Bold colors, modern shapes, and consistent typography ensured a cohesive and exciting visual presence across all touch-points.
